This week we will be starting a pretty substantial kitchen remodel. New projects are always exciting. I’ll be posting up pictures as we move forward, so stay tuned!
Kitchen Remodel
Feb 20
Nicely Put.
Jun 16
I won’t deny it. I roam the internet.
Yes. It’s true. And often my roaming leads me to construction trade forums and blogs. Rather than put together a lengthy article today, I wanted to direct you to another interesting blog entry. It explains nicely the reasons for greatly different prices in construction estimates from two different companies, and puts a nice emphasis on the importance of having design decisions and basic product selections narrowed down before calling in a contractor to price out your next big remodeling dream. Most of us are happy to advise during this “pre-planning” phase, but putting a price on a project without clearly defined parameters and materials can get pretty vague.
Here’s the link:
DaVinci Remodeling Blog
Enjoy, and thanks for swinging by.
Hi everyone,
I’m writing this evening to expound a little on a phenomenon that has always existed, but which seems to be a bit more prevalent lately.
With the economy continuing to fluctuate and the construction industry still reeling from a lot of blows to large companies that resulted in many layoffs, there are a lot of formerly employed guys out there looking for anything to do. That in and of itself is a problem. However, this shortage of jobs, coupled with a shortage of available building projects, and the fact that home owners are looking towards their building, remodeling, and repair budgets with a much keener eye, is causing a real dilemma.
That dilemma is the under-bidder. I’m talking about the individual – we’ll call him Charlie – who comes in to a situation where a homeowner has a legitimate bid for work from a licensed, insured, well run, quality oriented construction company, and says, “Hey, I’ll do it for half that price.”
To an unsuspecting home owner, the first reaction is to think that the legitimate contractor has set his price unfairly high, and that, “Charlie here has been a carpenter for years. He can definitely do the job as well as anyone. If he can do it for half, why shouldn’t we use him?”
Before I go any further, let me explain some of the things that a legitimate contractor offers and provides by default, which Charlie may not even take into consideration.
1.) Proper licensing and a defined business structure. A good contractor does the work right because it’s their livelihood and their passion. They’ve taken the time to organized their business so that they have an element of stability and security in their method of doing business. They want to be around for years to come. If you have an issue with your project after it’s completed, they’ll still be there to come back and make it right. Their reputation depends on it. More on this below…
2.) Liability insurance coverage. If Charlie forgets to unplug his hot work lights in that back closet, too close to those old prom dresses, he won’t have any way to help you recover the loss of your home when it goes up in flames. We carry an excellent liability coverage plan for instances like these, even though we are extremely careful about avoiding such scenarios.
3.) Written contracts. To some people, this is a dodgy topic. I always try to reassure my customers that a good contract is essential to a job going smoothly. When I started in this business, I liked the idea of operating on a handshake. Many people do. But the problem with those agreements is that there is no clearly defined scope of work or procedure, no payment schedule, and no defined course of action should something go wrong with a project. After a few jobs that went poorly due to a lack of proper contracts, I decided that the only way to do things right was to use them.
I set out with great enthusiasm to craft a fair contract for myself and my customers. It took some time and research, but we are proud to use a good contract that is fair to both our customers, and our own company. Now, let’s say you hire Charlie. He takes a look at what you need done, says it will cost xxx.xx dollars. You agree, and he begins working. After a week, he disappears for a few days, delaying the job. He returns, and works for a few days. The job is not complete, but he gives you an unexpected bill for the work he’s done so far. The cost is going to be higher than he initially indicated. He claims the door you wanted him to install wasn’t part of the original agreement, but you remember him saying it was included. You argue. The relationship sours. All of these things could have been avoided with a proper contract that described the scope of work, final cost, and payment schedule.
It’s a simple thing that keeps everyone on the same page, and provides clarification and guidance. I should also state that as of 2009, a written contract is now REQUIRED BY MINNESOTA LAW FOR ALL RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS regardless of cost or scope.
4.) Warranty. Speaking of things required by law, Minnesota also requires all residential construction companies to provide a minimum warranty on their work. We do, and we even go one better. We come back after 6 months and 1 year to fix any small problems you may have with the work we’ve performed. If a door sticks, faucet leaks, or ceiling cracks, we take care of it at no cost to you. These little problems are common and expected. All new buildings settle and move a little as the lumber cures and the structure adjusts to its own weight. We’re happy to provide those small services that help keep your home beautiful and functional. This goes back to point #1. Charlie will provide you with the tail-light warranty. That is, once you can’t see his tail lights any more, you’re on your own. If you CAN get him to come back, he likely won’t fix anything for free.
5.) Expertise. Charlie may be a good carpenter. I’ve been pretty hard on him so far, so lets assume he does nice work. That’s great. He and I have something in common. We like quality. But there are a lot of things that go into a well run construction project besides good workmanship. We have good working relationships with our suppliers, who provide us with quality materials worthy of our warranty. We have lines of credit with those suppliers to ensure that we can get materials to your job when they are needed, regardless of payment schedules. We understand bidding and estimating, and have years of labor records and job management to ensure accurate time lines for your job. We present things to you in a professional manner. We are well equipped to perform the work. We are well connected, and can set you up with designers, planners, decorators, and a host of other professional services to help you envision and realize your project. We have qualified sub-contractors to perform specialty trades, who we have worked with before and established a good working rapport. Finally, we run a tight ship in our own office, to keep the paper-work portion of your project running smoothly, efficiently, and professionally.
Basically stated, we have a lot to offer right at our fingertips. It has taken us years to make these connections and develop these procedures. Charlie probably won’t be able to offer most of these things. He may not even realize their importance or know how to utilize them. Basically, he can be a really good carpenter, but a poor manager and business man.
It really goes back to the old saying. “You get what you pay for.” Half way through your project, Charlie may realized that he agreed to do the work for too little pay. If you’re lucky, he’ll finish the job at a loss. If you’re not, he’ll cut ties and leave the work half done, and you’ll be left in a tight spot and with a potential legal dispute. It’s not so unusual. We see and hear about it happening on a regular basis.
Those of us that run our businesses by the book, and take pride in what we do aren’t out there to con the customer into paying more than they ought to. We aren’t trying to get rich quick either. We simply know what resources and time are required to do a job correctly and allow us to make a living, and keep our companies running so that we can continue to do what we love for a long time. It’s what we do, we do it every day, and do it the best we can. Contractors are some of the most dedicated folks out there.
There are some other points I could cover, but these are the major ones.
I’ll end with another quote that applies more specifically to our profession:
“The bitterness of a poor job will mask the sweetness of a low price.”
Just keep it in mind.
Still Here
Apr 3
Hi everyone,
Whether or not my lack of blog entries has left anyone else disappointed, let me reassure you that I’ve been very dissatisfied with my own efforts thus far. I’ve cooked up a couple of ideas for articles; the problem has been finding the time. Office work and side projects have been stealing my evenings, which are the only real times I have to write.
I’ll see if I can’t start putting the first one together this week yet, and get it posted. It’s written in my head, but no one can see in there. *grin*
Hello any and everyone,
I’ll start by saying that while my carpentry skill is in constant use these days, my composition and writing skills are just a tad bit rusty. In short, the idea of keeping a regular blog is a bit of a daunting task.
Still, I decided several months ago that it would be a nice addition to our website, and a good way to keep some fresh communication and perspective flowing – in contrast to the main site, which only gets an update once a year or so.
Dad and I both enjoy what we do very much, and are constantly thinking, talking, and learning about our chosen trade, and the process of owning and maintaining a home. Yes, even he at age 62 still admits there are things to learn. Many of the things we discuss we would like to pass on to our past, present, and future customers. I feel that this is a pretty good channel for communicating some of those tidbits. Of course, I’ll throw in some lighter material once in awhile too, and some general information about what we’re up to these days.
Ideas are welcome of course! And welcome to Seifert Construction! I’ll be following up with some new posts soon, but I must first complete the main website redesign. Gotta keep those irons in the fire!
-JR